Wedding Plans
by airwolf addict
Summary: Story Thirteen. String and Caitlin's wedding day approaches, but everything is not truly perfect... Will they still get their happily ever after?
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

Hawke sat out on the dock with his cello, playing as the sun slowly sank beneath the horizon, leaving only a few rays of light behind. Inside, Caitlin, her mother, and Marella were finalizing wedding plans. They seemed to be enjoying it between fights, and by staying out of it, he didn't have to listen to the women who had invaded his cabin squabbled about what color the flowers should be.

Saint John walked out to join him on the dock. "Sounds pretty good," he commented, "a lot better than when we were kids at Dom's. It was about the only thing other than flying you'd stick with, but it sounded as bad as…..Oh never mind. It just wasn't good."

"Thanks, I think."

"So you wanna come to dinner with Dom and me tonight? It doesn't sound like they'll be done anytime soon. Honestly, I didn't know planning a wedding could be so complicated, but I think that if there is the wrong amount of dew on the grass they'd freak. Maybe they're taking it a little too far."

"I'm not taking part in the extraneous details, so I guess it couldn't hurt."

String had just set his cello inside when the red, white, and blue Santini Air Jet Ranger came careening around the mountainside. It slowed only as it reached the dock. A moment later, it landed heavily on the wooden dock. Dom climbed out and walked toward the cabin where Saint John and String were already waiting.

"You in a hurry or something, Dom?"

"I was just trying to make up some lost time since I was late. Now are you guys ready?"

"Yeah, we're ready."

"Let's go then."

The Jet Ranger rose up off the dock and back into the ever darkening sky.

"So where are we going?" String asked casually.

"It's a surprise," Dom answered with a chuckle.

\A/

"Thanks for all the help," Caitlin said as she collected the bits of paper, with final details and preparations to be taken care of, to be put away.

"Let me get those," her mom admonished. "I'm sure you could find something more interesting to do and as a wife and eventually mother you'll get plenty of time to pick up after others. You've only got three days until you're married; enjoy them."

"Oh mom, you make it sound like being married is terrible," Caitlin complained.

"Well, I can't honestly say that I don't think you could've chosen a better man, but at least you picked a nice cabin to rent for the wedding, and I have to admit, the view is stunning."

"What do you mean rent a cabin?" Caitlin asked confusedly. She hadn't remembered renting any cabins, but with all that had happened in the last few days, she could've bought a yacht and have it sitting right outside her window and she wasn't sure she would've noticed.

"Here. I think you said it's on Eagle Lake. Are you sure all your guests can get in though? I know you said that you wanted a very small wedding, but helicopters are the only way to get in, don't you find that a little too obscure?"

"Mom, I said small and I meant really small, and this cabin isn't rented. It's Hawke's."

"Really small- that is such a pity." Caitlin's last sentence started to sink in, or at least she thought it did. "He has his own cabin out here? That's really nice; you can come out on the weekends and-"

Caitlin interrupted. "Mom, it's not a weekend thing. We live here and every morning fly into town for work."

"He lives out here?! No. You are not going to live in the mountains with some….I don't know what he is…. Some oversized violin playing loony."

"It's a cello and I find it relaxing, and so does Chance." 'Oops,' she thought. 'Maybe now wasn't a good time to introduce her son.' She tried to move the conversation on. "It's a cello and I am going to live out here, just like I have for the last year."

He mom looked back at her, stunned. "I think you need to take some time to think this out. Last time I heard from you, you were shot doing something for this stranger and now you're living with him in the middle of nowhere- Wait. You said Chance finds the 'cello' music relaxing too. Who is Chance?"

Caitlin's cheeks flushed. She knew eventually the truth would have to come out, but they didn't get along well and she kind of avoided talking to her unnecessarily very often. "String's not a stranger. I love him and yes we, all three of us, are going to live here whether you like it or not. Chance is a gift, he's..."- memories came flooding back…

_Dom climbed out of Airwolf, a look of sadness and despair heavily cloaked his face. Why she didn't know, but the mission had been successful, that's what mattered right? Soon her ideas of what mattered where changed when she heard Dom talking to Le._

"_I'm sorry kid, String's gone and he's not coming back…"_

"I thought he was String's last gift, but he is more than that. He's our son."

Her mother's confused look immediately told her that she needed to explain better, although, String almost dying during a mission she couldn't give many details about wasn't going to make her feel any safer about having Hawke as her husband.

"String was on a job, but when Dom came back without him we all got kind of worried. Dom said that he'd been killed, and that's what we all thought for the next three months. During that time, I found out that I was pregnant. At my birthday dinner, I planned to announce the news as String's last gift, but he was still alive, standing on the doorstep, that's when he asked me to marry him."

"This incident that had you all thinking he was dead, did he get seriously injured in it?" he mother questioned with a hint of added worry. She had already noticed the limp and what if this man had acquired some injury that would impair his ability to take care of her daughter and new grandson?

"Yeah," Caitlin answered slowly. "He couldn't even fly again until for the longest time we, but we worked though it together."

"So, Chance does it have a special meaning or something?" Caitlin's mother inquired about her new grandson.

"It does," Caitlin answered happily. "I have to give him credit for trying, but, ugg-gh, he mad me so mad. How could he think I'd leave him just like that?"

"Want to explain?" she asked, still trying to make sense of the random statements.

"He got out of the hospital twelve weeks later, but he still had a really bad limp and the second and third degree burns had left very little feeling in his hands and arms. He finally told me that I should find someone else, that he loved me but couldn't take care of us as well as we deserved. In the end, he had to work past his fears because I wasn't about to leave him, and when I asked him what he wanted to name the baby, he said Chance because we got out second chance, and I took one on him."

Her mother nodded in acknowledgement. She didn't know much about this Stringfellow Hawke her daughter was insistent on marrying, especially his line of business, which worried her greatly, but at least he was responsible and tried to do what he thought was best even if it wasn't to his benefit.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

Caitlin sat in the office by the phone, hoping desperately for it to ring. Business had been slow and seemed to drag on eternally. Dom walked into the room, obviously in a good mood.

"I'll see you guys later. I got me a charter to Las Vegas."

She'd never seen him so excited about taking a charter, maybe that reflected on just how poor business was.

"You and String can take care of locking up right? Cause I don't know exactly when I'll be back. It's been a while since I've flown out to Vegas."

"Fine, go have your fun and leave us to do all the work," she teased.

Finally, it was time to close up. She trucked off to find String. A few minutes later, she found him dozing in a chair just outside the roll door.

"Hey, String," she called.

No answer.

She tried to gently shake him awake.

Still nothing.

'Man, he must be tired,' she turned to finish closing up before attempting to wake him again, the edge of her shirt brushing him lightly as she did so.

He jerked wide awake.

"Now you wake up," she rolled her eyes. "I could take off in a jet right next to you and you would sleep through it, but if I dropped a feather you'd wake up."

"Sorry. I'm not that bad though. It's just how it is; usually when someone is sneaking around is when there's a problem. If they draw attention to themselves you'd never suspect them."

"Like hiding in plain sight," she agreed. "I know, but you have to agree you take it to a new extreme, and it is kind of strange. Anyways, it's time to go if you want to help me close up."

After picking up Chance, String and Caitlin flew back to the cabin.

\A/

Saint John unlocked the side door to the hangar so they could all come in. The three of them spread out quickly finishing the necessary things to get ready for business, that is, if they had any today.

By one o'clock, there still hadn't been a single customer or phone call.

"When's Dom supposed to be back?" String asked.

Caitlin shrugged, but she had to admit, it did worry her that they hadn't heard from him.

"He should be back by now," Saint John answered.

"He did say he might stay awhile though," Caitlin rejoined.

"True. It's probably nothing." He could only hope that was really the case.

Ringing from the phone on the other side of the hangar interrupted their conversation.

Long limbed stride eating up the distance, Saint John was the first to reach it.

"Santini Air," he answered. "Uh-huh, ok. Hold on just a minute please." Saint John turned to the two who waited expectantly. "It's some movie production company. He said they've dealt with us before."

"Ok, what do they need?" Caitlin asked.

"That's the problem, they'd prefer someone they've dealt with, but since they're behind schedule, any of us that can do it will work. The stunt isn't an easy one though. They need us to take off a moving truck, show off a little fancy stuff before being supposedly shot, and taking a plunge towards the ground."

"Not easy, but doable," Caitlin commented.

The bad new is," Saint John continued, "that after this death defying drop you only have thirty, maybe forty feet to pull out."

String seemed to be working out the figures in his head.

"That's practically suicide!" Caitlin exclaimed.

"He said he'd pay double because of the short notice and the danger involved."

"I'll do it," String finally answered.

"I know we could use the business, but I think we should sit out on this one; it's just too dangerous," Saint John decided.

"I second that," Caitlin agreed.

"I'll do it," String repeated with even more determination. "I've worked with him before, we need the business, and I can do it."

Caitlin looked back at her soon-to-be husband with concern. He'd done the daily stuff and a couple of charters, but no stunt flying since his accident, and this one wouldn't be a good beginning stunt, she thought worriedly. "You sure? I mean, there will be other jobs and-"

He cut her off. "I said I'll do it."

"String, the money won't do us any good if we have to pay it all back in hospital bills." He hadn't even wanted to take on a Hughes 500 in their last mission and that was usually a piece of cake for him. This was a different kind of challenge, but certainly not any easier.

"I am doing it," he stated firmly, "and there's not much you can do to stop me." He turned on his heels and stormed off. 'What was their problem? No one ever questioned his flying ability, why start now?' He focused on the helicopter resting in front of him. If he was gonna pull this off, he'd need his bird in top condition.


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

Dom checked out of his hotel room and hauled his overnighter into the back of the Jet Ranger. A severe thunderstorm had hindered him from being able to fly back the night before, as well as, ruin just about any chance he had at getting a clear connection to Van Nuys.

Fortunately, the weather seemed to have cleared up enough for an overcast but enjoyable flight.

The rotors turned slowly as he counted off the seconds until he could lift off. Finally, they had gathered enough speed and he took off. Once enroute to Van Nuys, he reached for the radio.

"Santini One to Van Nuys Airport."

After a moment's hesitation, the radio crackled ominously. He tried again.

"Santini to Van Nuys, do you read?"

"Van Nuys Airport to Santini one, we read you."

"Request for a late landing. I got a late start and might have to come in just after sunset."

"Affirmative, see you later, Santini one."

"Over and out."

Dom wondered about the unclear of the call. 'Maybe they were getting some of the storm he'd sat out last night,' he tried to reassure himself; It was nothing.

\A/

String stood in front of Santini Air's second Jet Ranger. It wasn't the same distinctive red, white, and blue hues, but it was essentially the same helicopter.

"Dom's not back yet?" String questioned nervously.

"No," Saint John answered. "I even tried radioing him, but I didn't get anything."

"If he's not back by the time I come back, I think we need to start a search. I heard Vegas got hit by some bad weather last night. Maybe he had to sit it out and that's what delayed him," he said more to encourage himself than actually believing it.

"String, are you really sure you want to do this stunt? If you miss, you could get really hurt….or even killed" she struggled to say the last word. "I want to be encouraging, I really do, and I'd love to have you flying stunts again, but I don't want to loose you."

"Cait, I can do this. The business needs it, and so do I. I need to know for sure that I can do it."

"Even if it kills you?" she sniffled.

"Yeah, even if it kills me, but don't worry. I'm not planning on letting that happen."

She nodded understandingly. There wasn't anything she could do to stop him, and she knew it. Not letting him fly would just kill him just as quickly, not to mention put him through more misery. "Be careful."

He kissed her forehead gently as he turned to leave. "I promise I'll be careful."

Rubbing a dirty hand across her cheeks, she rid herself of the tears she'd shed worrying about him and tried to recompose herself. "Come on, Saint John, let's go find Dom."

\A/

Dom fiddled with the radio some more. They'd all be worried about him and he knew it, but there wasn't anything he could do about it with the radio out.

A loud rumble of thunder brought his attention back to the sky. If he was lucky, he'd be able to out fly most of the rain, he decided and continued on, increasing his speed. The thunder only seemed to get closer and flashes of light lit up the gray heavens as the rain came pelting down. He had no choice. He had to set down and wait it out.

\A/

The director looked out at the ominous black clouds forming in the distance. He picked up his portable radio and gave String the signal. "Ok, Hawke, we can fit in one run through now then we'll see how the storm looks."

"Roger."

After rising almost effortlessly off the top of the semi trailer he slung the helicopter up into the sky.

"Go ahead and dive!" the director instructed. The immediate response was almost a completely vertical nosedive to the ground. The ground rushed up to meet him, closer and closer. He needed to pull out, but it was just a little farther.

The wind started to pick up, adding an additional unwanted challenge to the difficult stunt. He struggled to maintain on course. It had to be perfect or he'd mess up the stunt and end up dead, or at least seriously injured. Neither option was good, especially the previous.

"You're beyond the hill," the director's voice sounded over the radio, "pull up now."

Now fighting wind, as well as velocity and gravity, he fought the collective and the cyclic, trying to pull out in the very few feet allotted. Gravity pulled him down, 'trying to flatten him like a pancake,' he thought grimly. A mere five feet separated him from the ground by the time he had regained full control of his helicopter and had it righted. He landed heavily on the grass still wet with morning dew.

"How was it?" String asked over the radio. He hoped it would be good enough so that he wouldn't have to do it again, but at least he knew he could. If he could do that, the other stuff should be easy as pie.

"Very good," the director praised. That was a new one; maybe he had learned his lesson last time when String had come in close scaring him half to death because he was annoyed at the director critiquing his flying no matter how many times he did it right. "I think that should work, but if not I'll give you a call, after all, I want the best."

Soon String was paid and heading back to the hangar. Maybe it hadn't been the smartest thing to do, but he had survived unscathed, and he knew for sure that he could do the stunt flying again.

Upon entering the hangar, he called for Dom. No answer. Next he tried Saint John and Caitlin. Still nothing. "I guess they went ahead with the search." Not that that hurt his feelings any. He wanted his surrogate father back as soon as possible, especially with the wedding scheduled for the following day and a storm moving in.

There were 280 miles between Las Vegas and Van Nuys and Dom could be in any one of them, perfectly fine waiting on a storm to blow over or injured from a crash. He needed to be found and fast. The incoming storm wasn't going to leave much time for looking though. Taking the Jet Ranger back out, he flew off, determined to find Dom.


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

The gusty wind was turning into a steady gale by the time String reached the Lair. He connected a call to Michael.

"Michael, I need a search-"

"Team looking for Dominic Santini somewhere between Van Nuys and Las Vegas," Michael supplied the rest. "I know. Cait already called while you were out supposedly trying to kill yourself and yes we are already doing all we can, but if the weather keeps acting up there won't be much we can do. Oh, and Hawke, remember to be careful. Even Airwolf's not invincible."

"Yeah, I know." He ended the call and started the engines. Impatiently waiting on the rotors to gain momentum, then coming out of the chimney he started his search.

\A/

"Where could he be?" Saint John asked aloud, not expecting an answer. If Caitlin knew where he was they'd have already found him.

She looked up from the map she was holding and shook her head dejectedly. "We've covered just about every foot of land between here and Vegas."

"I know, I know, but he's got to be out here somewhere, and the wedding's supposed to be tomorrow."

"Special alert from Van Nuys Tower," the radio voice said, "we are closing all commercial lanes at the Van Nuys Airport due to severe weather conditions and high probability of a hurricane. There will be no more commercial flights until further notice, and all private businesses are advised to do the same."

"Damn," Saint John muttered, "just what we need." The weather was getting worse quickly and he knew it would only be a few minutes until he would be forced down, so he started back for the hangar.

Back at the hangar, there was no sign of String. "He should be back by now," Caitlin said worryingly. "Why isn't he here?"

"Cait," Saint John said holding up a white envelope marked 'Santini Air' "This has the money from the job in it, so he's been here. Maybe he went out looking for Dom."

"The jeep isn't here though, and the Jet Ranger can't get through that storm."

'That doesn't mean he wouldn't try,' Saint John thought, but String wasn't stupid. He may not have enough sense to come in immediately, but he'd wait it out somewhere. One thing was for sure, he wasn't going anywhere in the Jet Ranger in a storm like that.

Another hour passed and they still hadn't heard from String. Where was he? The phone rang only once before Saint John and Caitlin lunged for it. Michael was on the other end.

"Oh don't sound so excited to hear from me," he teased when he heard the disappointment in Caitlin's voice when she found it wasn't String.

"Sorry," she apologized. "We were still hoping to hear from Dom and now String's gone missing."

"He's not back?" alarm was evident in his voice.

"No, do you know where he is?" Caitlin asked hopefully.

"Hopefully on the ground. He probably got forced down by the storm. Hold on a second and I'll radio him."

Michael reached for the radio. "Airwolf, do you read?"

"I read you, Michael," came the short reply.

"Where are you?"

"At a hundred and fifty feet above Victorville."

"Victorville! That's the worst part of the storm and you're flying!" Michael fumed. "Set down immediately."

The loud crash of thunder couldn't be heard outside the soundproof cockpit, but Michael could hear the array of beeping and alarms going off inside the ship. "Sorry, Michael, I'm a little busy right now. I'll get back to you later."

"Hawke," Michael began, but it was too late. String was already gone. He caught himself cursing mid-word. "Actually, God help him. He's gonna need all the help he can get to survive a storm like that much less rescue Dominic."

He came back to his conversation with Caitlin. "He's near Victorville."

"Is he alright?"

"He's fine." 'Let's hope he can stay that way,' he silently added.

"Then why do I get the feeling you aren't telling me the whole truth?"

Why did she have to be so good? Most people would simply be glad he was alive; no she was acquiring the same eerie sixth sense Hawke had. "He's a hundred and fifty feet off the ground, fighting the storm and still looking for Dominic."

"What's with him lately? It's like he's trying to get himself killed. Thanks Michael." She hung up the receiver.

"So?" Saint John queried.

"He's above Victorville."

"Above? As in flying?"

"Yeah."

"So help me, String, if you don't kill yourself I might be tempted to do it myself," Saint John ranted on about the foolishness.

\A/

Fighting to hold the stick steady, he scanned from the horizon to directly underneath him. Finally, among the trees, he caught a glimpse of something red and white. He brought Airwolf in a slow circle to take a closer look. Now only thirty feet up, he stared at the muddy figure. It was the Santini Air chopper! He quickly lowered the landing gear and set down in the squishy mud.

Sliding out, he crossed the mucky earth to search the helicopter. It was dirty and a few small branches had blown onto it, but no damage; that was a good sign. There was now sign of Dom though. The rain continued pouring down, causing the already saturated ground to hold inches of water.

"Dom," he called out.

His only answer was more rain and a bright streak of lightening nearby, followed by another wave of rolling thunder. About a hundred yards away, a cave was visible in the mountainside.

Making his way to it, String attempted to climb the slippery rock. He searched for a sturdy foothold. The ledge he sought was only three feet away, but it didn't matter if it was six inches away if he didn't reach it. Hoping it was strong enough, he slipped his left foot into the small indention. The rocky soil crumbled under the suddenly added weight, and he slid back down the eight feet he'd just climbed, cursing in frustration, he brushed the mud off and began to climb again. Finally he reached the ledge. A dark, damp cave greeted him unwelcomingly, but he heard a soft crackling noise deep inside. Cautiously, he crept in.

\A/

Caitlin tried to radio her fiancé. "Hawke, come in. It's Cait."

Only silence answered her.

"String where are you?" First Dom and now String were missing and they didn't have much of a clue where they might be. How was she going to explain this one to her mom? She already wasn't very fond of Hawke, now he was disappearing the night before his own wedding.

Again the phone rang. This time it was Saint John who picked it up. "Alright, we'll be right over."

"Come on, Cait. Let's get this place locked up and go back to my place. Le said Chance started crying for awhile and he can't get him to stop no matter what he does.


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

"What's wrong?" Caitlin asked.

"I don't know," Le answered. " I was just watching him like I was supposed to and everything was going well until about twenty minutes ago when he woke up crying and hasn't stopped since."

Caitlin picked up the crying baby. "Hey, honey. Mommy's got you; It's ok," she said in a soothing voice.

The crying didn't stop, but it did lessen slightly.

"You stay here with him, I'll see about fixing him a bottle, maybe he's just hungry," Saint John suggested since the storm was still too strong to even attempt flying back to the cabin.

\A/

The dank cave was actually much larger than its outward appearance suggested, but in this case that wasn't necessarily a good thing. He rounded another dark corner cautiously. The last thing he needed was to trip over a snake, or to find a bats or even a bear inhabited this cave. A cool breeze blew through and the crackling noise was much louder here. 'A campfire,' he thought hopefully. A campfire meant someone was here, maybe he'd find Dom here after all. Hopeful, he continued onward.

\A/

Where they were, the storm finally died down enough for Caitlin to be able to fly back with Chance and Le to the cabin. Her mother was at her side the moment she stepped out.

"I was worried you'd gotten stuck in the storm. See, a cabin only accessible by helicopter isn't such a great idea."

"Mom, I'm fine," she said absently, her worry concentrated on Dom and String. They weren't going to have the wedding without Dom, and they certainly couldn't have it without String either. "I think the wedding's going to have to wait," she muttered.

Her mother gave shocked look. "No, it can't! We've worked so hard on it, unless," she paused, "of course, you're having second thoughts about Stringfellow," he eyes narrowed shrewdly.

"No, that's not it," Caitlin answered defiantly. "Dom never came back after his charter, and String is gone missing now as well."

"so he's waiting out the storm out in who know where and can't get back in time," her mother supplied snottily.

"That's better than the alternative!" Caitlin shot back angrily. "I don't think that's the case though; last I heard from him, he was fighting the storm above Victorville." 'Her mother could be so irritating sometimes,' she thought in frustration. 'She wasn't even sympathetic, all she was worried about was the wedding she'd work on, and figured String was just too irresponsible to get himself back home in time for his own wedding.

\A/

Beside the fire, lay an older man resting on the cool ground.

"Dom!" he'd never been so glad to say that one single word.

Dom woke and rolled over, looking up just long enough to see String standing in the cave. Hurriedly, he scrambled to his feet and engulfed the younger man in a bear hug. "String, my boy! How'd you find me? I thought I might be safer in here with the wind blowing things around like that but it isn't exactly where I'd first think to look." He grinned. " At least, I guess this means the storm finally blew over. I'd have radioed you, but it went out."

"I'm just glad I found you, but you sure didn't pick an easy spot to get to once those rocks are wet. Come on, Dom. Let's go home; we have a wedding to get to."

The storm hadn't slacked up much while they were gone. Together, they skidded down the rocks as they trudged down through the mud toward Airwolf. "You won't be able to get anywhere in the Jet Ranger, so we'll take Airwolf and pick up the Santini Air helicopter after this place has dried up a little."

"You actually flew through the storm? Even with the Lady, you're crazy."

"Maybe, but it's still not a nice thing to say."

Dom laughed heartily, "alright, let's go. It doesn't look like anything would stop you today."

\A/

By the time they reached the Lair, the weather had subsided enough fo them to fly the Jet Ranger up to the cabin again.

Caitlin stared out the window from the bedroom. She loved her mom, she really did, but sometimes she just made her crazy, and having Dom and String missing hadn't helped matters in the least.

A sound in the distance tickled her hearing. It was a helicopter-a Jet Ranger. Maybe String was back!

She ran down the stairs and out to the dock where she waited for him to finish landing.

String slid out from the pilot's seat, exhaustion evident.

She ran up to him and slipped her arms around him, pulling him into a tight hug. "I was so worried about you. I tried to radio you, but didn't get any answer, and I was afraid something had happened to you."

"I'll be alright. A couple hours of sleep and I'll be good as new."

"Same here," Dom joined.

"Dom! He found you, I'm do glad. We were getting worried."

"Well, I have to admit, it's nice to be found," he chuckled as she hugged him.

Hawke slipped an arm around Caitlin's waist and slung the other around Dom's shoulder and the three of them walked back up to the cabin.


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

Caitlin started mixing the ingredients for a special eggplant parmesan-perfect for String's vegetarian habits and Dom would especially approve of it being Italian. Her mom came in. "You know, I could make a delicious meat sauce for that," she offered.

"It's nice of you to offer, but no thanks," Caitlin declined politely.

"It would really make it though," her mother insisted, "I won't get in your way, but I know it would just finish it, make it truly perfect."

"String won't eat it," she said abruptly.

"What do you mean he won't eat it? It would make it."

"Can't we just go with the recipe and have the marinara sauce?"

"It's just so much better with a little meat."

"Mom, he's a vegetarian."

She rolled her eyes dramatically. "Caitlin O'Shaunessy, I just can't see for the life of me why you can't pick a normal guy that eats normal food instead of one of these new-age health nuts."

Caitlin ignored her mother's ranting and continued on with the marinara sauce.

At dinner the conversation started off friendly enough. Passing String his plate, Caitlin's mother question String. "So what exactly do you do?"

The question caught him off guard. "My job? I fly for Dom's business, Santini Air, charters and movie stunts, that kind of thing," he recovered quickly.

"How exactly did you and Cait manage to get shot in a flying stunt? And do you think it's really a good idea trying to raise a kid, not knowing if you'll both make it home every night?"

Hawke fought to keep his temper under control, but it doesn't last for long. Finally he stomped off out of the cabin.

"What'd you do that for?" Caitlin question angrily. "No wonder you don't like him. You don't want to."

Le, who had asked to be excused to stay with Chance who was still fussy, came tearing down the stairs. "Cait, come quick! There's something wrong with Chance!"

In a sudden panic she charged up the stairs after him.

Chance, laying in the crib, fussed hysterically. Caitlin reached over to lay a hand on his forehead to see if he had a fever as her mom walked into the room. He suddenly bowed up and went into a seizure. Caitlin, going into full fledged panic, screamed for Hawke.

Hawke, hearing the screaming coming from inside, took the stairs two at a time up to the loft. He lunged into the room to see Caitlin's mom trying to calm her and the baby seizing in the crib. He yelled for Le to grab the diaper bag as he hustled Caitlin, now holding the baby, into the helicopter outside. By now the infant had gone limp and kind of lethargic.

As soon as Caitlin, holding Chance, and her mom were in the back her started up the rotors. Le came scurrying into the co-pilot seat and they took off for the community hospital. On the way, he tried to get a hold of Dom or Saint John,but no such luck. He opted to call Michael to see if he could track them down.

At the hospital, Chance was immediately rushed in, leaving String, Cait, and the others only to wait and worry. String's concern was evident for Caitlin and his son. Caitlin's mother started to think maybe she had been a little too hard on him.

Michael and Marella soon arrived with Dominic and Saint John in tow. Dom tried to comfort the worried String and Caitlin while Saint John waited with Le. Time passed slowly, still baring no news.

Caitlin caught her mother saying something about canceling the wedding plans for the following day. "How can you be thinking about the wedding when your grandson could be dying in there for all you know?!" she launched at her.

Hawke, who was still holding the sobbing Caitlin, looked more than a little stricken himself at her words. Dom just patted him gently on the back, not knowing what else he could do.

Marella silently slipped down the hallway to find a doctor and see what news she could find out. After a few minutes, she returned with the news. "The doctors think they've stabilized his condition and that he'd picked up some infection. The seizsure was just caused by the high fever."

All of them heaved a enormous sigh of relief.

After things started to settled, Cait's mom said that she guessed she needed to call everybody and tell them the wedding was off for now. This time Caitlin looked down sadly, but saw no other option but to agree.

String said a firm 'no.' "This just goes to show how much he needs his family. We could go ahead with the wedding plans, just do it at the hospital."

Shaking her head, Caitlin's mother started listing off reasons why it couldn't be done.

Caitlin who had started to look hopeful again, seemed crushed.

"Michael?" String inquired, looking at the spy, "Can you make it happen?"

He stoked his mustache as he pondered it for a minute. He sent a fleeting glance at Marella. She nodded slightly, her eyes twinkling. Michael grinned and agreed. "We'll make it happen."

\A/

String and Caitlin spent the night at the hospital with Chance while the others went home to get some sleep and get ready- the reception was to be held at Dom's, Saint John would bring Hawke's tux, and Caitlin's mother would bring her dress.

The wedding began without any problems in Chance's room, Hawke in his tuxedo, and Caitlin looking radiant holding Chance. The hospital chaplain preformed the ceremony and congratulations were offered all around just as the doctor came in to check on Chance.

Nodding his approval, the doctor gave his prognosis. "He should be out of danger now. We'll just keep him another day as a precaution."

As the others started to leave to go back to Dom's apartment, String told them to go and enjoy themselves. He put an arm around Cait and pulled her close, rubbing a finger softly over the sleeping baby's cheek.

Cait's mom pulled him aside, telling that him that she needed to talk to him.

"I'm sorry," she began, "You sure wouldn't have been my first choice as a husband for my daughter, and I'm still not happy about the getting shot part, but now I realize how much you care for her and Chance and that they are pretty lucky to have you." She reached up to kiss him on the cheek. "She couldn't have picked a better guy."

Looking back at her daughter, she noticed Caitlin's bittersweet happiness. She was ecstatic to know Chance was going to be ok, but she was going to miss her own wedding reception.

"Go," she decided on impulse. "I'll stay with Chance. You take her and have a good time."

Hawke hesitated, torn between the two.

"Go on, even if it's only for a little while. I'll call you if anything goes wrong."

He finally nodded, meeting her eyes and gave her a shy half smile.

Placing a gentle hand on Caitlin's elbow, he whispered something in her ear. She turned to look at the sleeping baby and her mother who promptly shooed them out with a grin.

He placed an arm around her and led her out.

Caitlin's mother sat down in the chair beside her new grandson, stroking his soft, downy, baby fluff and hummed a lullaby.

\A/

Music softly playing in the background, String took Cait into his arms and they danced happily on the patio, lit only by the warm glow provided by the Japanese lanterns. He kissed her thoroughly and somehow she knew everything was going to work out.


End file.
